There is a reason that crude diesels replaced well-engineered steam. It is a novelity, and a few rich boys with play with it, spend some grant money, maybe built a prototype. It won't make a dent in the locomotive population.

_________________I don't have all the answers.
I don't even know all the questions!

Don't take it personal. You are young and idealistic. And it's not hate speech.

I like Steam, it is the technology that made the Industrial Revolution possible and it is a lot of romantic things. But it is old and outdated; and there is no amount of magic that is going to bring it back.

I mentioned Ross Rowland, I hope you took the time to Google him. He spend a ton of money in the late 70's trying to build a "modern" steam engine, I don't think it got off the drawing board.

Have fun, enjoy the history, take a fan trip, maybe get a cab tour or if you are really really lucky, get to work on an engine.

Sorry to disappoint you, but there is no Santa Clause, Easter Bunny and Steam isn't going to make a major comeback.

_________________I don't have all the answers.
I don't even know all the questions!

I Agree with Chris! Have you even read my signature? It is take from that old saying "Save your Confederate money, the South shall rise again!" I have been south, and it HAS risen, but not in the way that they meant. Steam is not dead. It can be found at work all over the world, some doing what they were built to do, haul freight for a living, day in and day out, but most hauling passengers who want to experience what it was like to travel in a simpler time. The rails, and steam, shall never die! There is a certain romance to steam locomotives and rail travel. It can be found in the hissing of steam, the beating of air pumps, the hum of steel wheels against steel rails, and the lonesome sound of a whistle/horn echoing into the night. It was a way of travel that will never truly die. Amtrak is, in a way, not all that different to what it was like 50 years ago. (These are my words, BTW)

Has anyone else heard that there are plans to restore the Madame Queen to operation? I heard about it a while ago, but can't remember where. I think it would be cool, but it would be a logistical nightmare.

The ranks of operating Garratt locomotives has increased in number! The Welsh Highland Railway has completed restoration of an Ex-South African Railways NGG16 Class Bayer-Garratt. It is a 2-6-2+2-6-2. The restoration was completed last year around November. It can be seen operating almost daily. Purchased in 2009 from Exmoor Steam Railway by pop music producer and rail enthusiast Pete Waterman for use on the WHR. It was overhauled at Waterman's LNWR heritage works by apprentices as part of their studies. I also read of a proposal for a shay-garratt for hump work, and I heard that ALCO had plans for a MASSIVE 4-8-8-4+4-8-8-4, but no one was interested. I am currently awaiting confirmation of the above claims, so I will update when I hear more. There is also a Garratt in Texas, of all places. It is privately owned, and it is a 2-foot gauge. When this guy wanted live steam, he got the real thing. I wonder what his wife thinks?

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